This Thing Called Hate
by Emilie.RoseHogwartsTales
Summary: Full summary inside. A story of high emotions, and emotion changes. Written from the point of view of two Hogwarts girls, as they witness it all unfold.
1. Rose

**Disclaimer: **All recognizable characters, scenes, and places are not mine, nor are they Emilie's, they belong the the great, the fantastic, the immortal, J.K. Rowling. The only things that belong to me (or Emilie) are those unfamiliar characters, scenes, and places.

**Summary:** This story is about how high emotional states, hate, love, and all that jazz, are so close to each other that they can change in a heartbeat. Through everything that happens in this story, people who love each other start to hate each other, and people who hate each other start to love each other. More or less.

* * *

"Give it back!" I cried, jumping up to try to get the book that had been levitated off of my lap where I had been happily reading it. I quit trying to jump, realizing quickly that it was useless unless I managed to jump to the roof of the compartment, which even for a witch is impossible without some sort of flying device or heaps of training.

"You're in our compartment." Blaise sneered, his dark eyes glittering dangerously as he made the book do spirals above my head. I had to stop myself from crying by reminding myself that fifteen year old students at Hogwarts don't cry.

"It's just a compartment! Get another one! I was here first." I said, stomping my foot, the only sign of anger that anyone could ever manage to make me show.

"One small problem with that." He said, glancing up at the book he was floating above my head as I reached for my wand. "We're bigger than you and we want this compartment." I found my wand where I had known it would be in the pocket of my jeans. I pulled it out and quickly thought of which charm would get me my book back, when my wand was blasted out of my hand.

"Honestly, pipsqueak, get out of our compartment before we _incendio_ that book of yours." Draco drawled lazily, his wand twirled in his hand momentarily before pointing up at the book above my head. My face flushed, and I just turned, grabbing my wand again.

"Come on guys, leave the armrest alone." Emilie Snape said as she stood behind Draco, her arms across her chest as she looked at me. I just muttered the countercharm, getting my book back, and grabbing my suitcase from where I'd put it on the lowest shelf, where I could just reach it. I promptly exited the compartment, muttering to myself as I did.

I knew that by now there'd be no more empty compartments, so I started instead looking for a compartment with people I knew. I saw Ginny up ahead, going into a compartment, and I walked up to her.

"Hey Rose." She smiled at me and held the compartment door open for me. I stepped in and noticed the Gryffindor 'dream team', as well as Luna, who was in my dormitory.

"Hey." Everyone smiled at me and I smiled back, sitting next to Luna, who apart from Ginny was the only person I really knew in this compartment.

Luna smiled at me and started humming a song that was vaguely familiar. I think I'd heard it on the radio that morning as my mother rushed me to Kings Cross. I levitated my suitcase up to the top shelf, the only available one, and opened my standard book of spells grade six.

Hermione, sitting across from me must have noticed it, because her eyebrows shot up looking at me.

"Excuse me, how old are you?" She asked me, nodding her head at the book I was reading.

"Fifteen." I said, beginning to read, finding my place automatically. "I turn sixteen this year though. I've just been moved up to sixth grade potions and charms, so I'm re-reading my books." I said, turning the page.

"Really? You look a lot... younger." Hermione said, shifting uncomfortably. I couldn't help but get the vibe off of her that she was envious that I had been moved up into the next year for some classes while she had stayed in the same year. I just nodded and continued reading.

"We're going to be in all of the same classes." Ginny said and I could just hear Hermione's head snap around.

"What?" Hermione asked, the breath coming out through her teeth.

"I got moved up for potions and charms too." Ginny said, her freckled skin flushing as Hermione looked like she was about to reach across and kill her friend.

There was an almost restrictive silence in the compartment for a while as I sat reading. Luna took a Quibbler out of her bag, and took out a pair of what looked like glasses with spirals on them, to read it.

After a while I think Hermione picked up a book of her own and started reading. Ron and Harry began playing exploding snap and Neville began reading a book about Herbology, I didn't quite catch the title. Ginny played with her pygmy puff.

I finished the chapter just at eleven o'clock, when the train started taking off. Looking out of the window, I bookmarked the chapter I was up to and levitated it up to my suitcase.

"Wanna play with us?" Harry asked me, noticing that I wasn't reading any more. I nodded and moved over to where he sat with Ron, using a large book they had hovering between them as the table.

"What do you do?" I asked, as they dealt out the cards. Ginny put her pygmy puff down and joined us, making it four people playing.

"You wait until there are two of the same card on top of each other and you snap. If no one gets it soon enough the cards explode." Ron explained as he counted out Ginny's cards. I nodded, understanding the concept.

Harry started putting out a two. I put a three on top and Ron put a seven on top. And so on. Ron ended up winning. I came third, only because Harry kept on losing his chances at snapping by looking away from the cards at me. Ginny looked up at me occasionally too, while Ron never took his eyes off of the cards, which I think is probably the reason he won.

"We'll be late if we don't leave right now." Hermione said, standing up and looking at her watch. "Well, we're already late, but we'll be even more late if we don't leave now." She said, pinning the prefect badge to the robe I hadn't noticed she'd changed into.

I jumped up quickly, grabbing my robes and prefect badge from my suitcase, levitating them down to me. Ginny grabbed her own as well, and the four of us, Hermione, Ron, Ginny and myself headed towards the prefects carriage.

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**A/N:** Thank you for reading up until this point. The next chapter will be from Emilie's point of view. Please reviews, not a requirement, I'm not going to threaten or bribe you, but all criticism, what you liked, what you didn't like, what you don't understand, any spelling mistakes I may possibly have made, it's great when I have a review, and I can edit/update to make it even better :D. That being said, I'll give you all cookies if you reply :3. And I'll respond to your reviews in the next chapter I post up (which won't be the next one).

In any case, I hope you liked it, and the next chapter should be up shortly :3 -**R.V.E**


	2. Emilie

**Disclaimer:**_ All my stuffs belongs to meeeeeee!!! All JK's stuff belongs to HERRRRRRRRRRR :3_

**Summary**:_ This story is about how high emotional states, hate, love, and all that jazz, are so close to each other that they can change in a heartbeat. Through everything that happens in this story, people who love each other start to hate each other, and people who hate each other start to love each other. More or less._

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"Where in Merlin's name are they?" Draco drawled impatiently as he draped himself over the edge of the seat. I sighed, irritation had come quickly on this day, the temperature was much higher than usual, causing everyone to sweat unnaturally.

"They'll be here, Malfoy, don't go breathing fire on us just yet." Ernie Macmillion, one of the Hufflepuff Prefects laughed at his own joke, causing Draco to hurl a book across the compartment at him. I had to move sharply to avoid the book as it narrowly missed my ear.

"Watch it Draco!" I snarled, my eyes turning to slits as I watched him. He rose his hands in apology, although his smirk was still plastered on his features. I sighed again and slid from the seat to the floor, preferring to not be sitting near Ernie if Draco dared try to hit him again.

Time passed, Draco whined, and I had to resist the urge to smack him. He was acting like a child. Resting my head against the seat I begun to twirl my wand around in my fingers, ignoring the others for a time before the door slid open and a whirlwind of brown and red hair made its way into the compartment and suddenly the room was a whole lot more stuffy.

"Well it's about time!" Draco glared at the members of Gryffindor's 'Dream Team' as they slid onto the chairs. "Snogging were you?" Granger and Weasley's faces burned red as they shifted in their seats, we all knew they weren't snogging, but it always made them uncomfortable, which Draco relished causing.

"Now that the rest of you have arrived … " I began, standing up from my place on the floor and resting back against the window as I glanced around the compartment at the others. We had an arrangement where every year a different person would address the group, and this year it was mine. "We can begin. Now, from what we've heard the headmaster has input some new rules about inter-house relationships." I paused, waiting for the complaints to come before the rules were even laid out.

"What do you mean 'inter-house relationships'? He can't honestly expect us to associate with dirt like the Weasels can he?" I wasn't surprised that the first comment came from Draco, I clenched my teeth to keep from barking some insult at him, it wouldn't do me well to get on his bad side so early in the year.

"Hey! Do you think we want to even talk to gits like you?" The second complaint came from Ginny Weasley. The youngest Weasley had been made a Prefect this year, making two Weasels on the current Prefect list. We were being overrun by muggle-lovers, blood-traitors and the general rubbish of the Wizarding World.

"Just shut up!" I called out over the insults that Ginny and Draco had begun to sling at each other, any longer and wands would be drawn. "The rules are simple, although irritating. Gryffindor and Slytherin students have to participate in assignments together this year, and the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff students the same. Apparently this is supposed to teach us how to work together if worst comes to worst." I shrugged before closing my eyes for a moment blocking out the further yelling.

"We're actually getting assignments? And we have to work with _them_?" Ron Weasley looked incredulous, which was remarkable since the boy never seemed to have anything but a stupid look on his face.

"Yes, you have to work with _us_, frankly I'll be pleased when this is all over. But Dumbledore's orders are Dumbledore's orders and there's nothing we can do about it." I ran my fingers through my hair, smiling briefly at Draco as he began flicking various small objects from the compartment across, trying to hit 'Weaselette' as he referred to her. "Now, to the second item of business then we can all go our separate ways and get into our uniforms. Several students from lower levels have been moved into higher classes this year. We haven't been told why, but we have been told to help them if they need it. As Prefects it is our responsibility to do this. Now, if that is understood, you may leave. Don't forget to take anything you brought in. That includes riff-raff." I smirked across at Granger as she began leaving the compartment, laughing shortly as she looked over her shoulder with a glare in my general direction.

"Well, I think it's time we headed back, don't you?" Draco grinned over at me as he straightened himself on the seat, usually Prefects meetings were little more than checking over rules and going over the basics with the new Prefects, but seeing how we started late it had been decided that we could give the new ones a brief rundown during the feast or in the dorms later. Most students already knew what it meant to be a Prefect, but those who didn't needed that extra bit of help.

"Yeah, alright. I suppose the food trolly will be heading through about now." I drawled as I gathered my book and wand and headed out into the corridor, Draco following behind me as I made the way back to the compartment we had forced the small Ravenclaw Prefect named Rose Evans out of. The girl was about as tall as I was, which wasn't that tall at all, I had been mistaken for a third year the year before, which had resulted in the student who did so feeling very uncomfortable in the loins until I was told to remove the hex from him.

The moment Draco and I entered the compartment we were greeted with a trumpeting of voices and brief waves. What was left free of the seats was covered in pasties and candy of all kinds, no doubt the others had raided Draco's trunk for his money to supply it all. Crabbe and Goyle grinned at us as though they had performed some neat new trick. "We got a lot for you guys! Thought you might like it after spending all that time alone with the trash."

While Draco laughed and cleared himself a spot I slid into a seat next to Blaise, who glanced away from me uncomfortably. We had been dating part of last year and over the Summer, but I realized in the end that we just wouldn't work out … That and my father threatened to curse him if he ever tried anything on me, which made our relationship very hard to keep going.

"Pass me a whizbee?" I tried to smile at him, but he just shrugged and grabbed one, thrusting it at me before he retrieved a book from the seat beside him and began to read.

"So, you think your 'dear old dad' will allow us to sneak out to Hogsmeade this weekend, Em?"

I glanced over at Theodore Nott, the gangly boy had been initiated into our group after the Dark Lord had returned, when Draco had pointed out that his family were good friends with his own. Shrugging I smiled briefly. "No idea, I kind of told him i'd focus on schoolwork this year, but I'm pretty sure if we do manage to sneak out he'll go lenient on us if we get caught."

A bark of laughter left Draco, Butterbeer dripping down his chin as he pounded on his chest, choking on the drink. When he managed to recover he laughed again, as if to emphasise his previous laugh. "Since when do we ever get caught, Emilie?"

I sighed, closing my eyes for a moment before I began to talk again. "Second year, Easter-"

"I get your point!" Draco cut me off before I could elaborate further. It seemed he wasn't the only one who wanted to keep the incident secret. In our second year we had managed to find a passage from Hogwarts to Hogsmeade, coming up in the cellar of Zonkos. It was night and the shop was closed, and thus we proceeded to 'borrow' as many dungbombs as we could carry with us. Unfortunately when we arrived back at the school one of us (we never really figured that out) set them off and we were engulfed by the stink and ran back to our dorms. Another unfortunate factor was that when my father came around trying to discern if any of the Slytherins had participated Draco and I still smelt as bad as the hallway where we had had our accident, and as thus I was suspended to my father's quarters, tidying and arranging and helping him with potions ingredients and the like while Draco got off on a warning. I hated him for that, my father that is, not Draco.

'**The train will be arriving in Hogsmeade station in approximately fifteen minutes, please proceed to prepare for your departure. Leave your trunks on the train and they will be transported to your dormitory. Have a nice evening.**'

There was a moment of silence before I was ushered out of the compartment while the boys proceeded to get changed. Along the corridor many boys or girls were waiting outside while their friends were getting changed themselves. Not far down Rose Evans was standing outside her compartment with Ginny Weasley and Hermione Granger. The other two had their backs to me, but Rose was standing in my general direction. I nodded grimly to her before Draco stuck his head out and told me I could get changed.

Having the compartment to myself was great, even for those few moments as I stripped down out of my jeans and shirt to change into my uniform I didn't have to put up with complaints or stupid questions for that short time. But alas it was over too soon and I had to let the others back in, even if it was for the five minutes before the train pulled into the station.

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A/N: Thanks to those who actually read this. I know I'm made of fail ... Just kidding! I love my work! -**E.C.S**


	3. Rose at Dinner

**Disclaimer:** J.K.R's charries, and settings are the ones you recognise. The pure awesome ones you don't recognise are mine.

**Summary:** This story is about how high emotional states, hate, love, and all that jazz, are so close to each other that they can change in a heartbeat. Through everything that happens in this story, people who love each other start to hate each other, and people who hate each other start to love each other. More or less.

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I sat in the carriage with the same people I'd shared the train ride with. I was squished in between Harry and Luna. We arrived at Hogwarts soon enough, and I got out of the uncomfortably crowded carriage to walk up to the school.  
Waving goodbye to the 'dream team' Luna and I made our ways to the Ravenclaw table. I sat next to the older Ravenclaw prefects, looking up towards the staff table. The side door opened and McGonagall led the first years in. They were huddled together, some clutching each others hands, all of them looking about in awe at the great hall.

_'Be you bold and brave and true?_  
_Then Gryffindor is right for you!_  
_Be you smart and full of wit?_  
_In Ravenclaw you sure will fit._  
_Be you kind, and honest and true?_  
_Hufflepuff's the place for you!_  
_Be you witty, and ambitious?_  
_Align with those whose symbol slithers._  
_I must split you up right here and now,_  
_And you'll never know just quite how,_  
_The sorting hat knows all you see,_  
_All that was, and that will be._  
_These four houses upon which this school does stand,_  
_Must stand together hand in hand,_  
_To move from darkness into light, _  
_To keep its goal in plain front sight._  
_Promise me now you will not repeat,_  
_Those mistakes made before sure were no treat,_  
_Together you must stand to face your fears,_  
_Not everything is as safe as it appears.'_

I joined in with the customary polite applause to the Sorting Hat, mulling over in my mind what it had said. Mostly the usual stuff, join together, don't split up, I have to sort you but I don't want to, blah blah blah.

The usual stuff. When everyone was finished being sorted, I saw Ginny trying to catch my attention from the Gryffindor table. Sighing, I excused myself from the other prefects, going over to join her, noting Dumbledore's slightly pleased look as his blue eyes followed me.

"Hey Gin." I said, sitting down beside her, finding myself between her and Harry, sitting across from Ron and Hermione.

"Hey Rose." She smiled and everyone else around the table greeted me in turn.

"So you're a prefect?" Hermione asked, and she seemed to be frowning at me, so much so that I blushed furiously and looked away, nodding.

"Hmmm..." Hermione ate some of the salad on her plate and I started up a conversation with Ginny instead.

"You look familiar." Hermione said at one point, frowning, and Harry, who had looked up at that point, dropped his fork full of mashed potatoes into his pumpkin juice, seeming distracted.

"I just have that sort of face." I said, shrugging, while Ginny laughed as Harry tried to clean up the splashed pumpkin juice.

"Are you a muggle born?" Hermione pressed, and I sighed, not particularly wishing to discuss this with her right now.

"No, I'm a half blood." I said and Hermione's eyebrow shot right up.

"Mother's side or father's side?"

"Mother's. My father was a muggle. He died before I was born." Hermione frowned, and I saw Harry nodding sadly, sympathizing with the dead parent.

"That sucks." Hermione said, and she quit bugging me for a while. I was glad she didn't ask me who my mother was. Or who my father was. There was no way I'd be able to answer her.

"You reading for potions tomorrow?" Ginny asked me, drawing my attention to the timetables we had been given before the rest of the school, so we could prepare better for our first classes.

"Of course. That's always been my best subject." I grinned at Ginny, knowing that both of us were really good at potions, and we'd probably end up trying to beat each other at one point.

"Do you know who we share it with?" Ginny asked.

"No idea yet. My guess would be we're in the Gryffindor/Ravenclaw class, if we're together. I know the Hufflepuff and Slytherin fifth years have them on at a different time, so maybe they're in the Hufflepuff/Slytherin class?" I shrugged. "Guess we'll find out tomorrow, in any case."

"Ugh, don't look now, but Malfoy seems to be staring at you." Ginny rolled her eyes at me, and I sighed.

"Hold on a second, I'll sort it." I said, and stood up, walking over to the Slytherin table on the opposite end of the hall. I saw the "dream team" stare after me as if they thought I was mad, and I sat down between Crabbe and Goyle.

"Please quit staring at me." I crossed my arms and glared at Draco, who was sitting right across from me.

"Why would I stare at you?" He practically spat it out.

"How the hell would I know? But you're freaking out my friends, and I Don't appreciate it."

"What should I care about what you _appreciate_ pipsqueak?"

"Because you know I'll tell everyone in Hogwarts all your dirty little secrets if you bug me too much." It was a good deal we had. I couldn't help but laugh as I saw Draco's face turn red, which showed up bright against his pale hair. He hated as much as I did that we were cousins, and I know he'd hate to have everyone in the school know. I usually didn't mind when he annoyed me, it was when he annoyed my friends that I threatened him with this.

Well, there was that, and what I found in his draw when I was last over at his mansion. He knew I had found it too, and I knew that there was no way he wanted me telling everyone what was in his draw. They would freak.

"Ta." I smiled sweetly and left, going back to sit down at the Gryffindor table, eating some peas.

"What did you say? He looks like he's about to have a heart attack!" Ginny laughed, and I saw Harry looking at me as if in a new light.

"I just reminded him of something he's done that he doesn't want anybody to know." I said. Which wasn't a lie, at least.

"Well, he definitely won't be looking this way any time soon." Ginny said, her silvery voice laughing.

"That's for sure." I grinned at her. I have known of Ginny all my life. Before I came to Hogwarts all I knew about her was that she was supposedly a stuck up little princess with red hair who was bound to hate me no matter what I was like.

When I came to Hogwarts, I avoided her as much as I could. I soon realised, though, that this was all a lie, and that she was a generally friendly person, and that the only reason why my mum said she'd hate me is because she wanted me to hate her. I hate my mum for that.

In my second year i started talking to Ginny. In my third year we were friends, but more like the friends you'd wave to from across the room and go back to talking to whoever you were talking to. In my fourth year, we stayed that way, until we both got accepted into the program. That was about halfway through the year, and the rest of the year we spent most of our spare time in "catch up classes" where Snape and Professor Flitwick taught us quickly the fifth year subjects, and we joined in on the OWLs. I managed to have Os in both of those classes, and I know Ginny got the same. We were both good at potions, and, let's face it, Charms is the easiest subject ever.

I know that there was no way we would have survived last year, even with the two spare lessons we had, taking place of fourth year Charms and Potions, as we caught up with the fifth years after school, if we hadn't have bonded and become friends. As good as we were at potions, the first potion Snape taught us was one of the most difficult potions there was, and our assignments from him? Well, they were way longer than the actual fifth years.

He said it was just because we needed to learn more, coming in halfway through, but I know it was because he disliked us all. Especially me.

"I should probably get back to the Ravenclaw table now." I said, as dessert came, and headed back to the table, with the older prefects, who ignored me as much as they had before.

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**A/N: **Milk for those who've read it, and cookies for those who are going to review it :3 - **R.V.E**


	4. Emilie at Dinner

A.N. Sorry about the short chapter. My muse left me a while ago, and I couldn't do anything. Managed to finish it at least. hopefully next time will be better.

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"Well that's complete rubbish! I mean really, Em. Your father wouldn't do that, would he?" Draco's voice was hushed as he spoke to me. While his posture revealed a nonchalance about the predicament his eyes showed his concern. I shrugged and glanced up at the table the Professors sat at. My father wasn't up there, and I knew exactly where he was.

"He would, Draco. You know that. The only way to prevent him from shipping me off to Durmstrang was my arguing that I'd be safer closer to him. But he's sure that could be a bad thing, and still wants to next year if the situation grows worse."

"But he's a member of the big guy's inner circle, he shouldn't have anything to worry about!"

"Honestly Draco, think about it. Being in the inner circle is one of the most dangerous places to be. You do one thing wrong and _he_ will be giving you an example of what he'll do if you do it again. Father doesn't want me to be involved. You of all people know the dangers."

Draco's eyes darkened and he looked away from me. I had spent a lot of time at the Malfoy Manor over the holidays, and one evening when my father had come to pick me up Draco's father had entered the room, bruised and filthy at that point I realized he had displeased the Dark Lord in some way. The way Lucius Malfoy had looked at his son at that point, even if he showed the same nonchalance that Draco had been showing, he was terrified, which was something very rare within that household. Malfoy was almost Voldemort's right hand man, so him being in trouble meant trouble for all of us.

"I'm going to go talk to the newbies." Draco muttered, standing up and walking down the length of the table to the new Slytherins we had acquired through the sorting. Leaning back I watched as they noticed him approaching them, and how they seemed to grow stiff. First years were amusing enough, scared of everything, and even the ones in our house were the same. With a small sigh I glanced over at Blaise, who immediately looked away from me. I wish we could just go back to the way we were, it was easier, before we dated, when we were friends. But that wouldn't happen.

"Hey, Snape! Get over here!" I heard Draco's call from down the table and I slid out of my chair, waltzing down the aisle with as influential a look on my face as I could muster. When the first years saw me they seemed slightly more relieved. I guess my appearance made it easier on them, looking so close to their age I could relate a little better.

"Hey guys. Settling in okay?" They nodded and I smiled as warmly as I could before looking to Draco. Who was scowling. I presumed he was still irritated about my reminding him of what had happened with his father, "Draco, go eat. I'll take care of these guys, alright?"

He nodded briskly, and turning on his heel and headed back to his seat. I sighed and squeezed in between the first years, smiling as nicely as I could.

"So, I'm Emilie Snape." I nodded as several of the students glanced toward my father's empty chair and back to me before I continued. "As this is your first year you will be studying a multitude of things, but as long as you have your wands and determination I'm pretty sure you can get through it as easily as your predecessors. When the meal is over come to me and I will lead you to your new common room, and your dormitories."

Nods all around, these kids were so eager to learn something it was a wonder they weren't wetting themselves in excitement. I forced the smile to remain on my face as I helped myself to a pudding, listening to them jabber on about the families they came from. Most of them were from overly privileged families, parents worked in the ministry or had no need to work. It was no wonder they were sorted into Slytherin. Sometimes being around people like this smothered me. Sometimes I almost wished Father had sent me off to Durmstrang like he had threatened during my 'brief' rebellious streak in my third year, where I spent most of the year trying to find the best way to irritate the Gryffindors. I'd managed to make a girl's clothes completely transparent, set someone on fire (in a way that wouldn't actually hurt them … much) and accidentally got another student put in St. Mungos psychiatric ward for a month due to a practical joke gone bad. I was amazed I wasn't expelled, really. But I guess my father has more standing amongst the school board then he likes to let on.

"So, what Quiddich teams are you guys into?"

One kid, mouth full of Yorkshire Pudding piped up, food dribbling down his chin. Disgusting. "Hollyhead Harpies, can't get enough of that lead Chaser. I mean the cans on her they're just-"

"Right...Anyone else?"

"-a bit like yours actually, perfect size and-"

"Do you want to keep your tongue, because I could easily remove it for you."

The kid averted his eyes, going back to his food. Every few moments i'd notice his eyes move up to catch a glance. With a sigh I reached down and withdrew my wand from my pocket, putting it on the table next to my plate. I rose an eyebrow at him.

"Do you really want to risk it?"

"You know, if you do anything to hurt me, my father will have you put in Azkaban."

"You know if I say a few words to my father you'll be expelled, and then your father will kill you."

Again the kid looked away, defeated. Smirking I went back to my pudding. Would this dinner ever end?


	5. Woops

**Disclaimer:** It's JKR's not mine, don't sue me. Please. I can't afford it. I have no money. Not even five cents. NONE. -cries-

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I headed up to the Ravenclaw dormitories, leading the first years up. I stopped in front of the door, and gestured to the eagle knocker, making sure all of the first years saw it.  
"Now, you're all smart kids, otherwise you wouldn't have been put in Ravenclaw." I said. "Wit beyond measure is man's greatest treasure, as we like to say." I smiled at them, inviting them to be interested. "As such, in our quest for greater knowledge, in order to get into the common room, we must answer a riddle."  
"What happens if we get it wrong?" A small boy asked.  
"You're stuck out here until either you figure out the answer, or someone else gets it right. Don't worry though, generally we're good natured, so if you're desperate not to be caught out of bed at night, and you can't answer, just pound on the door, someone's likely to be up late studying, and will let you in." I smiled, and turned towards the eagle knocker.  
"Usually to begin with the questions will be nice and easy." I said, and knocked once. The eagle's bronze eyes opened and looked up at me.  
"What is the first spell a young witch or wizard should learn?" The eagle asked, it's eyes moving across everyone, including the people who were now waiting behind the first years and I introduced them to this life.  
"Anyone?" I asked, and I saw a few older people getting twitchy, knowing the answer, and just wanting to go inside and to bed. I looked pointedly towards the first years, as Michael Corner hurried up, puffing, obviously having been waylaid somewhere.  
"Ah, good, you got them." He said, glancing towards me, and then stood off to the side. I frowned.  
"Um, I think I know." A first year girl said. She was easily as tall as me, though not quite as thin, and she flicked a strawberry blonde lock behind her ear. She turned to face the eagle. "Whatever it is they are ready to learn." She said, her voice strong and accepting. I smiled at her, as the door opened.  
"Exactly. Now, if anyone's having any trouble at all, don't hesitate to come to me, or Michael." I gestured to Michael. "We're your fifth-year prefects. There are, of course, also sixth and seventh year prefects in Ravenclaw, but you'll meet them later. For now, boys, your dormitories will be the first on your right, and girls, follow me."  
I led the girls to the empty dormitory they would be sharing, and then went into my own, finding that Luna had already unpacked my things for me.  
There were only us two Ravenclaws in our year, so we had Padma Patil, a year above us, and Chrystal Emmers, a year below us, because they had too many girls in their years.  
I got changed into a pair of worn, comfortable jeans, and an old t-shirt, slipping on my sneakers, and left the room. I went downstairs to the common room, and saw a few first years lingering around.  
"Off to bed for tonight." I said. "Trust me, you'll need your sleep." I smiled, and left the room, heading at a light pace up.  
I came to the entrance to the Gryffindor Tower, seeing the fat lady. I had never actually been up here before, though I knew the way.  
"Dawdling isn't good for young first years like yourself." She said, and shook her head, her considerable chins wobbling slightly. "I trust you know the password?"  
"Slivering Slivers." I said, glad that I was a prefect, and had of course been told the passwords to the other three houses.  
"Enter." She said, smiling, and swung open. I got in, climbing through the portrait hole. I found Ginny waiting in the common room, with everyone from fourth year and up in Gryffindor. She grinned at me as I came in.  
"Glad you came." She said, and introduced me to a few new faces. "Ron went down to get some Hufflepuffs a few minutes ago. Did you invite any more Ravenclaws?" She asked me, and I nodded, just as there was a knock next to the portrait. The rest of the Ravenclaws filed in, fourth years, Luna, sixth, and seventh years.  
Ron came up a few minutes later, followed by the Hufflepuffs.  
This had been a tradition for who knows how long. It was always held in the Gryffindor common room, and only everyone in fourth year and above were invited. There were spells on all the entrances, so no one younger could enter, and a spell warning us if any teachers were coming.  
"Well then, let's get started." Ginny grinned, and pointed her wand at the music box in the corner that someone had smuggled in. Then, the party started.  
As always, there was much food and drink supplied, and I grabbed a bottle of butter beer as I sat down in a corner. I came, because I had to, but just like last year all I did was watch the dancing. I saw Harry looking over at me a few times, and once even came up to me, before some seventh year had grabbed him and forced him to dance.  
A few minutes after that though, he did come up to me, sitting on the comfortable couch beside me, and for a second I wished I had grabbed a single couch, too late now I guess.  
"Hey." He said, and I smiled, muttering a somewhat quiet hello. "Rose, right?" I nodded, and he beamed at me. I felt very awkward here, and was glad when Ginny grabbed my hand, pulling me away.  
"Do you like Harry?" Her question caught me way off guard.  
"No." I said, shaking my head to stress my point.  
"Here, let's go out to talk for a bit." She said, and pulled me out of the portrait hole. We started walking, nowhere in particular, and it was suddenly very quiet around us as soon as the fat lady's portrait closed.  
"I mean, he's a nice guy, and I know you like him, but no, I don't like him." I said, sitting down on a bench.  
"I don't. Not any more." Ginny sighed, and shook her head. "I was actually kinda hoping you would like him, so I could have an excuse not to, but I guess..." She sighed again.  
"What do you mean?"  
"Well, ever since I saw him I developed a crush on him, and then when he saved me in my first year, I thought it might have even been love. But then, I guess I found someone else, and I don't really like him that way any more." She looked down at her feet, and I was glad she considered me enough of a friend to discuss this with me.  
"Who's the lucky guy?" I asked, wriggling my eyebrows, which caused her to laugh, and suddenly we were out of serious mode, back in carefree mode.  
"Ah, it's nothing. Just a passing fancy. Hey, wanna do something fun?" She asked, her brown eyes lighting up. I bit.  
"What?" I asked, leaning forward. She always came up with the best things to do.  
"Come with me." She grabbed my hand, and before I knew it, we were down in front of what I knew to be the Slytherin common rooms. My eyes widened and I looked at her. What was she planning?  
"Here, I snuck this out of Harry's chest earlier." She said, and draped an invisibility cloak over us. She whispered the password to the portrait, and we quietly went inside. I was glad the entrance here made no noise, at least they wouldn't have any reason to look up.  
I saw Draco sitting with his usual group, lounging about. Ginny pulled me over to an empty chair behind him, and we both sat down, sharing the seat. She pointed her wand at Draco, and whispered a spell nearly silently under her breath. His face was instantly covered with miniature bats, flapping their wings at him, their sharp claws digging into his face, as they spat on him.  
Blaise, across the room, quickly muttered the countercurse, but both Ginny and I were biting our bottom lips to keep from laughing as Draco looked around, knowing there was someone in here who didn't like him.  
"Pipsqueak." He whispered, so silently I was almost unaware that he had spoken. I noticed Ginny wasn't.  
We stood up and Ginny pulled me towards the door. I stumbled over my own feet just as we were about to leave, but I gave Ginny a quick push out, as the cloak fell around my feet, leaving me standing in a room full of unfriendly Slytherin's. Ginny gave me a desperate look before the door shut, and I heard her trying to convince the portrait to let her in, now that it knew she wasn't a Slytherin.  
"I might have guessed." Draco said, tapping one finger on an arm, glaring at me. I pulled on all of my horrible acting skills and grinned at him.  
"Well, you know me." I said, and my glance flickered towards the door.  
"Blaise, get her." Draco said, pointing at me, and his friend was already behind me, grabbing me around my waist and pulling me up against his considerably taller frame. "I'll just let our other unexpected guest in." He opened the door, and grabbed Ginny by her wrist, dragging her in, she shot me a look, full of surprise, as Draco closed the door.  
"Well, well, won't this be fun?" He said, grinning.

* * *

**A/N:** Well, I hope you liked it, and hopefully next time I post it'll be more ^^


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